I'm really looking forward to my Salt Lake trip in June. Like the last two times I went to Salt Lake, I'm taking the train. I decided to get a sleeper both ways this time, as I was able to get a lower level room. The stairs are just too hard for me to maneuver. I will also not be exposed to as many germs and I'll be able to relax better and work some on my genealogy. I ended up with pneumonia from our trip in November, and Shannon ended up with bronchitis. Not only am I looking forward to a vacation, but nine days of research at the Family History Library, six of those days with professional researchers. Ancestor Seekers hires one professional researcher for every six attendees. The professionals are experts in helping attendees break through those brick walls genealogists face. Helena Cleff is one of three major brick walls I have in my research. My other brick wall is Marietta Wallace (my dad's grandmother) and Marietta's father James Wallace. Maybe I can break through some of these brick walls.

I figured it is not too early to start preparing for my trip to Salt Lake in June. I have three main goals I want to accomplish on my trip. My first two are to firmly document my Oakley and Root lineage back to my Revolutionary War patriots - Miles Oakley and Joshua Root to prepare submission to the Daughters of the American Revolution. My third goal is to extend my Cleff line back at least a couple of generations. Although I have known the ancestral village of my Cleff ancestors, the records either start before or after my known ancestor, and I've been unable to find them. Helena Cleff has been elusive prior to her immigration.

To prepare for my trip, I am working on some detailed timelines for each person. I had started Helena's timeline awhile back, but there is little prior to 1892 when Helena and her two brothers came over. I do not even know her exact birthdate, only the month and year. For the Oakley and Root lines, I just need to really look at what I already have and put it all together. I decided I really need to prepare for my trip, as last fall when my daughter and I went to Salt Lake, I wasn't really prepared and I didn't get as much accomplished as I would have liked.